Rakiura
by starfire7
Summary: A young maiden learns of a destiny that she has to fulfil, the second leader at her side. Little does she know, both destinies mean more than saving the guardians from Rakiura, much more is at stake... S+S!!! AU!! *Aiyah! Second chapter coming!! Promise!*


Hey!! Hikari here! ^_^ What's new people?? Aside from this story - I haven't seen one of its kind around here and I'm pretty sure that the idea's original... The prologue and Chapter 1 will be together. I just want to get directly into the story, leaving cliffhangers on a prologue isn't fun. So, I _may_ leave one at the end of chapter 1. I'm a big S+S fan, and I love working with their personalities and changing them, that's fun!! ^_^ I'm gonna try and keep them in character though, if they are a little OOC, don't worry, it'll change. If you have any ideas on what you would like to happen in future chapters, email me and I may use them, and you'll get the credit for the ideas.

Summary: A young maiden learns of a destiny that she has to fulfil, the second leader at her side. Little does she know, both destinies mean more than saving the guardians from Rakiura, much more is at stake... S+S!!! AU!!

Take note, the names of the islands are all actually real words. They're actually from a New Zealand language, Maori, and if you want translation, I'd be happy to translate.

Uhh, time to get on with the prologue, I blabbered a bit much, sorry.

Disclaimer: I _don't_ own CCS, never have and never will, as much as I'd like to... *gets all starry eyed thinking of the evil things she could do* BWAHAHAHAHAH!!! No pudding for Kero-chan ever again, now_ THAT_ is evil...

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**~Rakiura**- **Prologue ~ The Rising of ****Rakiura********Island****~**

While the cold wind battered the trees of the island of Wai, a moon guardian sat, totally aware of the troubles around him. His icy eyes were closed and he seemed relaxed. Well, that was how it seemed on the outside, inside, he was deeply worried about the welfare of his island. It was a new moon, meaning he had no source to draw power from, leaving him defenceless and vulnerable to attack. The guardian stood up from where he was sitting, his loose silver hair blowing to the side where the wind was reaching gale force. His eyes opened and they could be seen as a cold ice blue, one would shiver looking directly at him.

White robes clothed his body and feathery wings arched from his back, stiff against the wind. He was floating a few inches above the rocks, a look of observation on his face as winds buffeted everywhere. The guardian's name was Yue. One thought came to mind, _Rakiura__._

In the distance, a couple of islands north, was a deserted island by the name of Rakiura. There was a rumour that a powerful spirit lived there, but no one had any proof and it was yet to be proved true. Although, he could still feel an eerie presence there. Translated from the ancient language, Rakiura meant "island of glowing skies" and he could see why. About midnight, every night, strange lights could be seen glinting from the island, and that was what puzzled most about it. If it was meant to be deserted, who or what could be triggering the lights? Nobody was sure, and no one wanted to find out, so to this day, Rakiura was and is still a deserted island and one of the greatest mysteries of the world.

Wai Island was being battered and a powerful presence could be felt nearby. As much as Yue tried to strike up a protective shield against the wind, it was to no avail, he wasn't able to protect his island. Something was blocking his magic and he heard a distress call from another island nearby, which was under the protection of Keroberos. Keroberos was the protector of Tangi Island, an island with a waterfall in the centre, where rain collected in a large pond at the top of a cliff of rocks. The waterfall was named Tangi Falls. Tangi meaning "cry".

A horrified look on his face, Yue turned back to look at Rakiura Island. The top of its mountain was glowing a faint yellow and two beams of light shot out of the centre, heading in two totally different directions. Yue's eyes narrowed when he saw that one of the beams were coming in his direction, the other in the direction of Tangi Island, the island of Keroberos.

The narrow beam of bright light was coming straight for Yue and plunged right down over him, engulfing him in its bright light. Yue felt himself being lifted from the ground and taken in the direction of Rakiura Island. Once again, horror covered his face.

Little did he know, the same thing was happening to Keroberos, guardian and protector of Tangi Island.

Two islands were abandoned that night. Wai and Tangi. No one knows what happened to Keroberos and Yue, some say they got bored of their duties and flew away. Some say they were taken away to Rakiura Island. No one truly knows... and one day, one day, two souls will meet and fight together against the bonds that bind Keroberos and Yue to Rakiura. They will restore the balance and ... save the world.

**~Rakiura – Chapter One ~ The Meeting of Nadeshiko and Sakura~**

_The islands of Wai and Tangi are now overgrown with vines and the trees that have been there have long since passed on. Light barely reaches through and touches the ground of the islands. Wild animals roam free and howling calls reach from island to island. Winds whip through the islands and batter whatever remaining trees, almost forcing them to bow down. Yet, Rakiura remains undisturbed. Rakiura, one island, is protected from these harsh conditions for some unknown reason. The guardians of the other islands are becoming restless as they too worry about the welfare of Keroberos and Yue. Without them, the balance has tipped and the world is greatly unsettled. Four guardians, four islands. Mura, Anihau, Atarangi, and Pakai. These four have to band together with the two leaders in order to save Keroberos and Yue. And the very world in which they live..._

"You say what?!" Sakura exclaimed, her green eyes puzzled. "You mean all of this is true?" she looked utterly astounded, her head cocked to the side and her eyebrows raised with a look of puzzlement on her face.

"It's true, 'tou-san told me," Kita told her aunty, a deadly serious look on her face. Kita, the twelve-year-old daughter of Touya. Her raven hair fell into her face as she nodded solemnly, her amber eyes twinkling.

"I-I-I-it just _can't _be!!!" Sakura stammered, her expression becoming even more astonished.

"It truly is real," she said, hiding an inward smile.

_How can it be real though? _Sakura thought, her brow furrowing. _I have to talk to mother about this..._ She stood up from where she was sitting and a confused Kita asked her, "Where are you going, aunty Sakura?"

Sakura paused for a second before saying, "I have someone that I need to talk to," and with those last words, she vanished out the door and mounted one of the horses that grazed in the paddocks outside her house. Using a rope as reins, she urged the mare into a gallop and steered it towards Wawata Forest, where a certain mother's spirit was hiding.

Sakura felt a vaguely familiar presence behind her and she pulled the horse into a sharp halt as she glanced over her shoulder briefly and up into the tall trees. But as her eyes searched, she found nothing._ Strange,_ she thought. _I could've sworn I sensed someone watching me._ Turning her eyes back to the road, she shrugged and urged the horse into a gallop again, heading for Wawata Forest.

_That was close, _the figure thought. _I have to be more careful around her, she seems to be able to sense me._ The figure's eyes narrowed as they jumped from the tree and darted after the girl on foot. She seemed to be heading in the direction of the haunted forest. _Strange, what would she be heading there for?_ the figure thought curiously before continuing after the young maiden.

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The familiar sounds of birds chirping and water rushing in streams welcomed the maiden into the forest. Her horse snorted nervously and pawed the ground, but Sakura urged her on, keeping a tight rein on the mare.

Sakura dismounted from the horse and walked into a glade with a pond in the middle. Willow trees dipped their leaves into the pond, leaving the smallest ripples whenever the wind blew through, its cool air lurking within the forest. There was a small shrine that Sakura herself had built, she could summon her mother from the spirit world, to talk to and question about the happenings in the islands. Wai, Tangi. She had felt strange occurrences from both islands lately, as if something was being resurrected, or trying to escape. She didn't know either. She had a feeling that her mother might know. Nadeshiko helped watch over the islands in the area, as well as communicated via Sakura with the people of the island, in return, Sakura was able to talk to her mother in spiritual form and help her understand the ways and mysteries of the island.

From Atarangi Island, Sakura had been hearing howls, howls that seemed to echo her name. Kita had told her that a guardian by the name of Aroha lived on the island, but Sakura wasn't sure if it was true, or Kita was just making up stories; she was so confused, she didn't know what to do or where to go from there.

Stretching out her arms, and closing her eyes, Sakura called, "Spirit of Mother, please come to me." Cold gentle winds picked up the pace and the willow leaves blew out of the pond and the leaves flew off the branches and swirled around a haze of light which was now making itself out to be a figure with long wavy raven hair and green eyes, like those of Sakura.

The spirit opened her eyes and looked at Sakura softly as she stepped forward. "Hello, Sakura," she said, smiling.

"Hi, Mother, how is it in the other world?"

"Same as usual. Grandma keeps playing hopscotch with the younger angels, teaching them how to play, of course, she keeps making up her own rules," Nadeshiko said with a laugh.

Sakura laughed and then looked sombrely at her mother, levelling her out with her gaze. "Mother, there have been some problems here on Whetu Island and I keep hearing things from Atarangi."

Nadeshiko's eyes widened, her expression becoming slightly shocked. Muttering to herself, she said barely audibly, "It's happening. It's really happening. I didn't think it would be so soon. The destiny has finally awoken, it's finally happening."

Sakura was listening to the incessant muttering. _What does she mean by that?_ she thought, puzzled, a strange look on her face.

Nadeshiko looked up from her mumbling and saw her daughter looking bewildered. "Sakura..." she started explaining.

Sakura looked straight at her mother again. "Yes?"

"You know how this is Wawata Forest?" 

Sakura nodded. 

"Well, Wawata means "wish" and basically most wishes in this forest are granted by me and the spirits above. But, there is a strange destiny ahead of you. You remember the story that Kita told you today?"

"The one about Keroberos and Yue?"

"That's the one. Well, that is actually true."

"Really?! I thought Kita might be making up stories again."

Nadeshiko smiled faintly. "Actually, she heard it from Touya who heard it from me."

"Touya comes here?"

"Yes, he does, and he talks all about how you and Kita are doing. Not to forget Hana. Also, about Fujitaka as well."

Sakura kept listening as Nadeshiko kept talking.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The figure saw Sakura pull the horse to a halt in the glade nearby. _What's she in there for? There's nothing there._ But their thoughts were soon proved wrong as a female spirit emerged in a swirl of haze. _I've seen that spirit before,_ they thought, thinking hard, back to where they could remember her. _THAT'S RIGHT!!! That's Kinomoto Nadeshiko!!! _the figure thought with wide eyes. _But how can she be here?!?!_

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It's finally done!! I've got the ideas for the next five chapters or so, so I know what I'm doing!! ^_^

Who was the figure following Sakura? Will both leaders save Keroberos and Yue before time runs out for both of them? And more importantly, will Hikari finish this fic before the end of the year? Don't think so!!! But I'll try my best no matter what. Thanks Karisa for editing! You're a great friend, and thanks for the idea for that new song, New Dawn is almost finished, I just need to tweak it a bit, and I'll post up Shadows of Time ASAP. Maybe I'll use them for a songfic, who knows? Any songs that I use for my fics, they're usually made up by me, so if you want to use them, please email me at starfire1246@yahoo.com.au thanks!! ^_^ Please read and review!!

Hikari Kamiya


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